No easy trick this!

Amarjot Kaur

In the world of possibilities, miracles do happen and the constant intrigue associated with the phenomena makes it all the more interesting. So, when we engage in a rather candid banter with Delhi-based magician, Rahul Kharbanda, who was in Chandigarh to perform a gig at Elante mall, he explains the how and why of his art.

While magic comes to Rahul as a legacy from his father, Ashok Kharbanda, a well known magician who was trained under the aegis of PC Sarkar along with PC Sarkar Junior, Rahul shares that his passion for magic is fuelled by objects as common as a cardboard and iron. “I am especially fond of one of these acts that I do, where I iron a woman, making her disappear and reappear again,” says Rahul while shuffling a deck of cards and pulling out a trick.

“I have been trained by my father, who is also my magician and I found my calling quite early in life, so it has been over fifteen years that I have been performing now,” he says. Though Rahul agrees that there are not many platforms that support the art of magic, he shares that it thrives in communities and associations like the one that has been founded by his father called The Indian Brotherhood of Magicians. “Well, In India, theatres don’t call magicians, magicians book a theatre to perform, but most of the time it takes a toll on the magician, financially,” he says.

Rahul shares that the corporate companies have given a good opportunity to the talent, by hosting several magic shows for professionals and breaking their stereotyped existence that was only restricted to birthday parties. “The corporate events give us good money and acknowledge magic as a talent as well as art,” he says.

When it comes to the quality of magic, Rahul says that magic alone cannot sustain a magician. “You have to be innovative and a performer. So, sometimes I dance in my gigs as I also learnt Western and contemporary dance. I was in the city long ago to perform as a group dancer at Punjabi singer Sukhbir’s concert,” he shares.

Rahul, who has performed across the country and abroad, shares that he has also been featured on television. “I was in Star One’s India’s Magic Star in 2010 and in Jo Jeeta Wahi Sikandar on DD National for two years, from 2003 to 2005,” he states.

While sharing that he seeks much inspiration from Dani Lari and PC Sarkar Junior, Rahul shares that though his profession gives his talent room for experimentation and improvisation, it is also a very challenging. “Firstly, there is not much financial support for promotions and secondly one cannot take the act lightly. You have to constantly prove yourself and even one mistake can be fatal for your career,” he signs off.

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